Yogi Government Cracks Down on Ballia Bihar Border Extortion: Top Cops Transferred, DSP Suspended

In response to extortion activities targeting truck drivers in the Narhi area on the Bihar border, the Uttar Pradesh government has taken decisive action by transferring the Ballia Superintendent of Police (SP) and Additional SP, and suspending the Deputy SP, Sadar. This crackdown follows a raid conducted on July 25, which resulted in the arrest of 18 individuals, including two police personnel, and the suspension of two others, according to officials.

Vigilance Inquiry and Property Investigation

The government’s statement also announced a vigilance inquiry into the properties of the Deputy SP, Sadar, the Narhi police station SHO, and the police outpost in-charge. After the illegal collection of money from vehicles by police personnel on the Bihar border was revealed, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath enforced a zero-tolerance policy, leading to strict measures against those involved.

Senior Police Officials Transferred Amid Extortion Scandal

Ballia Superintendent of Police Dev Ranjan Verma and Additional SP Durga Prasad Tiwari have been transferred and placed on a waiting list, while DSP Sadar Shubh Soochit has been suspended. Deputy Inspector General of Police (Azamgarh zone) Vaibhav Krishna reported that several complaints of extortion by policemen along the border were received by Additional Director General of Police (Varanasi zone) Piyush Mordia.

Details of the Raid and Arrests

DIG Krishna stated that during the raid, two policemen involved in extortion were apprehended while three others managed to escape. Additionally, 16 middlemen were taken into custody. The extortion gang was reportedly collecting Rs 500 from each vehicle, and with approximately 1,000 vehicles crossing the border each night, the scale of the illegal operation was substantial.